Is it legal?

[TheFaerie]

My friend's mother is telling her that when she has done her GCSEs that she has to get a job and move out- SURELY this isn't legal? Not at least until she's reached 18? She will be 16 by the end of GCSEs. Also, I am thinking of confronting her mother, but am not sure what to say...any wise words? My friends says that her mum was treated badly as a child but that is not really an excuse for then doing it to your own daughter and probably out of spite? What do people think?

[xxlizziexx]

i no im younge and to be honest i dont know the answer but i was thinking that maybe you could talk to the school about it and ask them if it is legal or not. dont say your friends name beacuse they will talk to her mother all about it. unless you want that to happen. ask the head of year of or someone to help you :) sorry if this hasnt helped! xx

[andy hughes]

I wouldn't advise you to confront your friend's mother, she would, with some justification, advise you to mind your own business. This may be the result of a row - parents say things in temper that are retracted later in the day, so it may be that your friend's mother was merely saying this in temper. best to keep an eye on the situation, and offer your friend your support. If your worries persist, have a word with your Head Of Year for some advice.

[mully]

Why not ask your parents if they would have a word with your friends mother adult to adult and also make sure your friend is not making this up for any reason as it could cause a lot of trouble.x

[Insane Wally]

The above are all good replies. DO NOT confront your friends mother, it could make things a lot worse for your friend. If the relationship between the 2 is usually good other than this 1 comment, then she should just ignore it & see if it's mentioned again. If it is, she could call her mothers bluff & stay at a friends for a week. MOTHERS, who'd have one!!!

[SGKelloe32]

The council will house people at 16 but only under exceptional circumatances. She would not be entitled to any benefit until the age of 18, and finding a job at 16 is really hard, and she will be very lucky to be working for any more than �20 a day. Tell your friend she has nothing to worry about, as the council would only get involved once social services were involved. It isn't illegal as such, it just wouldn't be possible. My mam is going through the same with my brother at the moment, and keeps threatening to throw him out and she used to with me, surely a good education would be important to her mother, and im sure at the end of the day her mother loves her.

[stressed out]

I agree don't confront her. For various reasons; she's elder to you and therefore you will cause offense to her and make her more mad. Secondly, it's not your place to get involved in a family dispute or row, unless all the family have consented or if someone's life is in danger. If i were you i would'nt worry about it or take it seriously, people often say things when they're angry that they would never say, and just say them for effect or to make the other person change their ways. ie; your friends mum probaby has said this to her daughter so that she will be worried that the threat could be carried out and therfore she has to get her bum into gear and decide what she is going to so with her life now. I've lost count now of the amount of times my parents made those threats to me, they never carried them out, i lived at home till i was 23!I'm 25 now and have my own child! At the end of the day a parent will love their child unconditionally and no matter what they say they would'nt ever put you in any harm or danger.

[TheFaerie]

Hi everyone thanks for the advice but my friend was being serious, she wouldn't have made something like that up. I mean I've asked, but we didn't go through it properly so I don't know, maybe. You're right about not confronting...I probably wouldn't have had the guts anyway. As for it being said in the heat of the moment, (i'll call my friend "Julia") Julia said that her mother actually came in her room, sat down on her bed and said it to her. She says her mum has said this before and from what Jules has told me, their relationship doesn't sound all that amicable but then again I don't live there so I don't know the whole story. It's quite confusing and I should make sure I have all the facts straight but as andy hughes said, I will keep an eye on it for now. Thanks for all the advice, I'll try and let u know what happens if anyone wants to know.

[marwendamson]

AT the age of 16 your parents are no longer legally responsible for you. This means that you can be prosecuted as an adult. It also means that your parents do not have to house you. but.. the local Authority / Council would / could put your friend into "care" until she is 18.